12 Creative Ways to Spice Up Your Boring Lunch Break

12 Creative Ways to Spice Up Your Boring  Lunch Break What does an average lunch break sound like to you?Munching on boring bits of white sandwich bread while you  watch  a YouTube video on  your smartphone?  Catch the latest gossip news from your work buddy on how the hottest romantic couple in your office just broke up?  Many  share this grim fate of a boring lunch  break  while making  small-talk with our coworkers.But what if we told you that your lunch hour could be just as exciting as a lavish holiday trip to an exotic location?Alright, we exaggerated the last  bit,  but we guarantee that lunch breaks don’t have to be a lonely affair.In fact, using these 12  creative ways, you’ll always look forward to your lunch hour breaks to come up with exciting things to do.12  EXCEPTIONAL LUNCH BREAK TRENDS TO FOLLOW IN THE WORKPLACE1. Mini Games with Your Co-Workers“United We Stand,  Divided  We Fall.”  That’s pretty much the motto of any team building atmosphere.Uniting your co-workers together for a round of fun games helps you connect better and makes  lunchtime  an exciting affair for everyone.Introduce your co-workers to a new way of experiencing an exciting lunch each day.Here are 3 team building games to have fun with your office mates.Truth or LiesIt’s a  spin-off  of  the much popular “Truth or Dare” but instead of being bold you just ask fun questions to your office mates and watch as they spill out the beans.To play the game,  first,  invite all interested colleagues to form a circle over  at  the lunch table and while they are munching on their food explain the rules which are as below.Each participant will say a short story  no  longer than  50-words  and not exceeding  30 secondsOnce the story is completed, the rest of the table needs to guess if the story was true or  a  lieEach person gets one chance and those who guess correctly get a point eachAfter tallying exactly who got the most points at the end of the lunch breakThe winner is namedIf the game gets popular, consider adding a smal l prize like a free snack or lunch for the winnerThis game gets people talking and chatting and especially  invites the  shy  coworkers  who never  talk  due to fear of social anxiety  to participate in the fun.This way you can entertain everyone in the office while boosting the morale of your office mates.Name the Song TrackIf your office mates love music, then this game is sure to strike  their  creative chords. The rules of this game are simpleUsing your smartphone’s speaker, play a song from a random genre and see if anyone guesses the song.The first person to guess the song right gets a pointRemember to pay attention to when they shout out the name of the correct song to judge the winnerYou can play the sample track for 4-to-6 seconds for the best way to keep them guessingWith this game, you’ll have a wide understanding of the various music tastes of your office mates.Don’t reuse songs from the same genre and instead spread out various genres like pop, synth, metal, tran ce, jazz, DB, etc.To spice up the fun, you can even create teams of 3-5 members.The Mannequin  This popular social-media challenge went viral and was the craze  of the internet.The basic concept was to remain motionless in a position mimicking the posture of a mannequin.Instead of  filming  the entire office, be the host and tell them that the moment you yell out the word “MANNEQUIN”, everyone must remain motionless and even a slight hint of movement disqualifies the person.Perform the game each time until there is only one participant remaining who will be adjudged the winner of the mannequin challenge.This game is  extremely fun  and will bring out the creative side out of your colleagues.Watch as you find yourself laughing uncontrollably when you catch one of your office mates in a strange pose while they get  disqualified in hilarious ways.2.  Commit to a “NoTech  During  Lunch-Break”  Policy  Since the turn of the  21st  century, our minds have been occupied with all so rts of wacky gadgets that  are  stuffed in our pockets.In fact, it’s gotten to the point where we don’t leave these shiny devices even when we enter the loo. While they are an important part of our lifestyle and  supplement  our careers in meaningful ways, it’s important to put a stop to this tech addiction.The best place to begin is during lunch  at work.Adopt a strict moral code and promise yourself that you’ll never use any device with a shiny screen  during your breaks.We mean no music, no staring down to take  a  quick peek at the latest news or checking  emails.Lunchtime  will be a sacred space that you connect your soul with the food that you eat. If you feel like multi-tasking while you chew bits of nutrition down, bring a book  along with you. Reading provides us with greater concentration skills.Here are some pointers to help you end your  addictive  date with your smart devices â€"Switch off your phone and put it inside your desk’s drawer. Notifications tend to distract us, and we usually ferry our phones with us to our  lunchroomRemember to  practice discipline during lunch. Restrict yourself from playing games or even listening to music. Just listen to the chaos of your natural environmentKeep 5 minutes to phone management tasks post your lunch. With self-control on the usage of your smart devices, you’ll learn to unwind and relax much easier throughout the day.Our brains are wired to answer any call upon seeing our phone screen light up. Ensure you keep your phone on silent mode even while working, this motivates  you to have a silent lunch without distractionsRefraining ourselves from using technology helps us resist the  addiction  to our devices.It’s often good to take note that these devices were made to assist us  and not take over our lives.By following your rules, you can spread the positive message to a colleague or two and help them see the difference  of  a normal  verbal  conversation  instead of a texted one.3. Learning a Foreign LanguageWait! An ENTIRE LANGUAGE course during lunch? That’s….just…impossible…While these are your very thoughts upon reading the title, let’s elaborate further on how this feat is achievable.By learning a language, we don’t mean you’ll become a linguistic genius at French within a month’s time or achieve native proficiency in  Spanish in  no time.According to the FSI, (The US Foreign Service Institute)  it takes an individual roughly 480 hours  of learning time  to be affiliated with basic fluency of any of the Group 1 languages such as French, Portuguese, Romanian, Italian, Spanish, etc.Basic fluency of a language means  being  able to communicate with locals and  gather  any information that you may desire without the need of hiring a translator.Keeping this in mind, let’s look at the time required â€" 480 hours. Let’s say you’ve got 45 minutes to an hour  every  day  for your lunch break.You’ll roughly need 2 years to reach basic fluency in the language that you desire by committing to it.And just how do you do it?Simply by listening to an audio podcast or by reading a beginner’s language tutorial book.You could also carry a dictionary that translates words from English to your preferred foreign language.This way you can challenge yourself to learn 10 new words at lunch every day.That’s about 60 new words in a week and around 240 words a month summing to around 3000 words a year. The little numbers surely add up over time.Another cool way to learn the language is by listening to songs and practicing pronouncing the words as they sound.You can play foreign songs during your lunch break and note down certain words, eventually,  challenge yourself to translate an entire song into English in a single week.These short challenges will give you clarity over the language.The next time you hear these words spoken, you’ll have no problems identifying the language without outside help.This is especially useful if you travel a l ot during your holidays.Let’s say you’re  traveling  on  a trip to Spain and would like to know basic words on how to communicate with the locals.Simply create a list of  high-frequency  words in English that you’ll be using during your trip.For example â€" Hello, Thanks, Where, Train, Flight, Pub, Lodging, Transport, Currency, Left, Right, Straight, Back etc.Now, during your lunch break, simply translate these words into their respective local words and you’ll have a much easier time during your holiday trip to communicate with the locals and  you’ll  feel smarter to have  learned  all of these during your boring lunch break. 4.  Reading News or Articles About Your Job RoleBeing informed is a key trait if you want to be at your career best.Simple bits of information available on the internet reveal ample job opportunities and provide insight  into  improving your job role for your company.All this can be done while  having  your  lunch, every single day.For example, by cl icking this article you’ve just found yourself ways to spice up your boring lunch break, so you’ll never have to simply munch food and have  a staring contest with your phone all the time.By reading this, you were able to acquire information on how to distract yourself and learning a new thing or two.Similarly, by reading news related to your job field, you’ll gain plenty of resources and tools which you weren’t aware of  to  ease your daily tasks.Let’s say you are a digital marketing specialist.By learning the existence of an app such as  Mail Chimp, you’ve just  learned  a new way in reducing your workload when it comes to organizing your mailing list.Likewise, if you had  learned  about  Idio, you’d have a much easier time interacting with your social media audience.For every new tool or news, you learn relating to your profession, you absorb knowledge and become much smarter.You’ll be at the forefront of updated trends and be the person in the office that everyon e turns to for advice.Being reliable gains you the attention of your superiors and you’ll be a valuable worker for your company.This puts you in a position to gain advancements in your career and accept role responsibilities. You’ll also be bumped up the salary ranks.All these free perks just because you decided to change up your lunch habits and gain wisdom in learning something new for your profession.5.  Creating a “To-do” ListNow,  this might sound simple, but it’s surprising just how many people refuse to organize their lives and usually end up procrastinating their daily chores.Now imagine if there was a magic yellow pad that just  reminded you of all the pending tasks that you wanted  to  get  done.By the time you get home, you’re in no mood to sit down on your desk and create a high priority/low priority list, you just want some relaxing time for yourself and if only there was a way you could somehow squeeze this during your work hours.That’s when the lights st art to shine brightly in your head. Of course,  the  lunchtime!Your  lunch  break  is a great way to spend time writing down all the tasks that you’ve kept away. Here is all the stuff you can do with your notepad and pen.Create a priority-based list. High priority tasks go on top, low priority  goes  down.Create a bucket list of all the things you want to do before  you  dieCreate a travel list to ensure you don’t forget to pack the all-important sunscreen or woolen gloves.Create a networking list. Ensure you find time to communicate with all your colleagues and important clients.Create a performance sheet. Find out why you’ve been  lagging behind  other star performers by listing your personal flaws.Create a chore list. Remember to clean your home or work desk.Create a shopping list. For products that you absolutely need for your home.There’s just about a list for everything to go by and you’ll have a fun time coming up with new lists to organize your daily life.Always ca tegorize your lists and don’t just put them into one messy  long  list.Once you’ve got all the lists, go ahead and break down each high priority task into milestones to achieve them easier.Remember to use short forms and get to the point when creating lists such as “Reserve Movie tickets” or “Buy Milk”.Don’t unnecessarily elongate words. Lists need to be simple to read and easier for you to absorb the information instantly. 6.  Schedule  a Shopping Trip  Don’t mistake  us  when we say the term “Shopping trip”.A  lunch break isn’t an excuse to splurge your  hard-earned  money  at the mall.What we do mean is you can ideally pick up your monthly groceries or have a relaxing time at the spa to rejuvenate those tired nerves and sore eyes.You could also have  a  fun time with a colleague munching a bite or two at the food court.By shopping during your lunch break,  you’ll skip  the rush hour and enjoy a peaceful time shopping from the aisles.You’ll also get some fresh air when you leave the office and get some much-needed walking done.In fact, we suggest window shopping if you’re on a tight budget for the month.It doesn’t cost a cent, but it surely excites you to know the new and upcoming trends that you’ll be splurging your upcoming salary on.Going to a mall for lunch also breaks the monotonous routine of having your lunch at the same office cafeteria every day.You’ll feel refreshed just knowing that you’ve taken a small little adventure during your office hours.7. Headout  for a Stroll at a Nearby Park  According to a team of researchers at the British Journal of Sports Medicine, a simple stroll through a park depletes built up mental fatigue of employees.The constant stress  and the noise from your office  usually  cause  us all to reach our breaking point.Hence, it’s a good idea to schedule having lunch at a park bench while admiring the whistling sounds of birds amidst nature.According to another  study in 2016, the body ac tivates its restorative conditions when its away from urbanization.A walk on the beach, a stroll through the park, or a simple  day out in the mountains is considered to activate your  healing process.The study also says the healing powers are higher when there isn’t any use of tech devices such as smartphones or tablets as these keep our mind connected to our workflow.Do your  brain  a favor and give it  some much-needed  rest during a lunch break, you’ll notice that you’ll  reduce  work-based  anxiety levels  and deal with mood disorders much better than your colleagues who spend their lunch break in the office.8. DIY ProjectsDo-it-yourself projects are a great way to get creative and introduce yourself with fun backyard projects.We’ve listed some DIY projects that you can complete in less than an hour or by the end of your lunch break.Not only will you be looking forward to your lunch break every day to create something new,  but  you’ll also find an interactive hobby a nd impress your work colleagues into following you.So, without further ado, here are some projects to keep yourself busy with during lunch.Non-wax Candle MakingScented candles are aromatic and fill your home with various and subtle fragrances.Creating candles at work isn’t hard and you’ll easily create  2-3  candles  every  day  at work.The different flavors include rosemary, citronella, peppermint, lavender, lemongrass, etc.Traditionally, candles are usually made with wax but since we want to make a faster non-wax version of scented candles, we’ll introduce you to  citrus candle making.First, we need a citrus fruit. Orange, Tangerine, or Sweet Lime will do.Cut the fruit in 2 equal halves at the centerGently remove the fruit pulp, leaving only the center portion intactYou can eat the pulp as part of your lunch break dietPour olive oil into the outer shell and the central portion of the fruitThe central root portion will serve as the wick of the candleOnce you’ve placed the o live oil and layered the shell with itThe candle is ready to be lit and it will give out an aromatic citrus smellTo get a detailed pictorial guide on how to create it,  click this link.Pencil VaseIf you love flowers, we will show you how to create a vase out of pencils. All you need are:About  20  pencilsA  ribbonA piece of string coilA plastic holderAlign all the pencils around the outer portion of a round plastic holder.Using the string tie the pencils around the circumference of the plastic holder so you get a  nice  rounded shape with all the pencils sticking together.Now tie a bright piece of ribbon across the pencils and Voila! Your flower vase is complete.You can experiment with various designs and you can create this self-made pencil vase with less than $5-dollars’ worth  of items. For a detailed picture guide, you can refer  to  HomeTalk.Illuminating LED Plastic BottlesOne of the best ways to recycle plastic water bottles is by converting them into art pieces for your hom e. This DIY project can be done in less than 45 minutes and you’ll be creating various designs once you get the gist of it.CRAZY DIY Science  has a video here to demonstrate how easily you can create your own DIY lamps using nothing but a plain water bottle or plastic bottle, a few wires, a needle, and a headlamp.The Mastermind  uses water bottles to create a vivid blinking effect that can be done during your lunch break with simple tools.Many of these lamp-based lights can also be sold on sites like Etsy, eBay, Amazon and other popular shopping sites for a profit.9. Volunteer and Brighten Someone’s DayImagine bringing a smile to someone’s face  every  day  of your life without having to postpone your work. Your  lunch  break  can be put to better use after you’ve had your quick meal.Head out to a nearby community center in the vicinity and sign up for  30-minutes of  volunteer service.This could mean distributing food to the homeless, teaching basic language skills to the h omeless, initiating them with the programs and their rights by holding a 30-minute speech, or also be a role model to a college student and provide them with  much-needed  tips.If there are no community centers in your vicinity, get a community group going in your office and get as many volunteers as you can.Simply removing the trash off the streets in your immediate vicinity will help keep the streets clean and you can also initiate an environment drive for people on the disadvantages of littering.You can begin to save the planet one street at a time just during your lunch break.Your efforts will surely strike a chord with your office superiors and they will recognize you for your sincere environmental efforts and will also pledge in keeping the planet green and plastic free.There are tons of ways for you to volunteer in just 30 minutes to make a difference for your city and the planet. 10. Karaoke with Your FriendsIf you consider yourself a singing genius, then grab a few colleagu es from work and head on over to a karaoke bar near you.Find out the timings of all the local bars hosting karaoke around your  workplace  and make sure to signup beforehand with the local DJ. This way you’ll waste no time in having to wait for your turn.If you want to move it up one notch, you can start a music band with your office colleagues.All you need is to rent a studio space nearby and you can practice  musical  instruments  with your office mates. If everything moves according to plan, consider auditioning your band with local music events after work.Your lunch hour can be  the  beginning  of a new creative career for you.Many bars understand the requirements for professionals  to unwind during a stressful afternoon and host various musical events such as karaoke and other talent shows.Check up your local events  guide  to understand just how you can be a part of  them.11. Lunch RouletteA “Lunch Roulette” is where you exchange your lunch boxes with a random colleague every day and this opens various conversational topics among your fellow coworkers.This is a great  icebreaker  when you’ve just joined a new company and would like to get to know your fellow employees better.Simply introduce yourself and ask if they are willing to exchange their lunchbox with yours.At first, you’ll be treated to surprised looks but soon people would be willing to try, you’ll have a great time understanding your food habits and how similar or unique people are.This is especially useful to get shy coworkers to open themselves up and create a professional bond.The “Lunch Roulette” is also a great way to try out different delicacies but pay special attention to individuals that are particular about the food they eat like people that eat only vegetarian food.You’ll need to be sensitive to their food choices and exchange only if they are willing to.12. Work Out a SweatHitting the gym during your lunch hour allows you to work up a sweat and disperse  all the m ental fatigue. For this,  enroll at a  nearby gym and bring your workout clothes.Ensure, you have your meal post your workout to ensure your nutrition is better absorbed after  physical  activity.All gyms have showers, so you’ll be back to the office looking fresh as  daisies  and  your colleagues will  be  surprised  at your  youthful glow  and slim physique.Here are some ideas on how to dispense 30 minutes of  lunchtime  in the gym.30 minutes of intense rowing30 minutes of stationary biking30 minutes on the treadmill30 minute of  high-intensity  interval training30 minutes of light weight training30 minutes of aerobic workout30 minutes of  CrossFit  trainingYou can also use a combination by splitting 2 exercises of the above into 15-minute intervals for a  change.The advantage of hitting the gym  during  your  lunchtime  is that you’ll have the entire day to yourself while saving time.BONUS: GET YOURSELF A POWER NAP TO RECHARGE YOURSELF  Power Napping is a term used where we s leep for a short period of time just enough to gain instant revitalization. Power napping  allows us to recover our energy  to get rid of fatigue temporarily.The benefits of  a  power nap include â€"Increases our overall alertness and productivityImproves memory and wakefulnessPrevents mental fatigue from building upBoosts overall testosteroneElevates our overall moodGetting a power nap during our lunch break is a great way to double your overall energy in just 30 minutes.To  nap successfully,  keep your alarm at a count of 20-to-25 minutes from the time you close your eyes.This ensures you don’t enter deep sleep and wake up feeling groggy which is also known as “Sleep Inertia”.A power nap is often a great way to catch a nap when we haven’t had a  quality sleep  the night before.Research has shown that people that gain upwards of 6 minutes to 30 minutes of power nap perform functions better than someone who  is suffering from fatigue.The study shows that the brain of a power napper has increased activity when compared to that of a tired person.Hence, sometimes the best thing to do during your lunch break is to bring your eye masks and get in some quality  shut-eye  to ensure you don’t feel tired the rest of the day.Here’s a video of Dr. Oz explaining the benefits of a power nap and the right way to do it. FINAL THOUGHTS ON LUNCH TIME CREATIVITYWhile many people prefer to open their lunch boxes and browse through their favorite Netflix shows, you’ll  have  creative  things  planned during  a simple 30-to-40-minute lunch break.Being extra creative with your lunch breaks allows you to get more stuff done than just having  your meal.At the end of the day, you’ll need to take the first step in trying out the many methods listed here before you find out  what works best for you.